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UNB hosts international entrepreneurship conference

It seems fitting that Canada's most entrepreneurial university would host an international entrepreneurship conference and it's no surprise that people from around the world are en route to Fredericton, NB to attend.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Entrepreneurship: Passion and Practice”. Entrepreneurship and innovation are part of UNB’s cultural fabric, which was validated by being named Canada’s most entrepreneurial university by Startup Canada last year. Several of UNB’s and New Brunswick’s leading entrepreneurial thinkers will be presenting at the conference along with the keynote speaker, Ng Pock Too.

In 1993 UNB awarded Dr. Ng Pock Too with an honorary doctor of law in recognition of his contribution to Singapore’s successful economic development. Dr. Ng Pock Too is an adjunct faculty member at the National University of Singapore in the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and has a long history in business leadership, including serving as the former President of Hamilton Sundstrand Asia Pacific and as the former Political Secretary to Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

In his keynote address Dr. Ng Pock Too will explore the roles that educators in business school play in preparing students to be ready for their future.

The Atlantic Schools of Business Conference is one of Canada’s longest running academic business conferences.

This year panellists and participants will explore how to balance passion with the need to learn from practice. Could practice stifle innovation? Why is it that many innovations come from outside the areas in which they are to be put in practice? Could it be that passionate minds require isolation from practice to envision new innovations? At the same time, why is it that investors often replace the ventures' founders by experienced professionals? Could it be that the traits of passionate entrepreneurs are a hindrance to putting their visions into practice? The interaction of passion and practice raises many interesting questions and debates, which will be discussed in depth.

For more information contact Basu Sharma, conference chair and UNB business professor, at bsharma@unb.ca or 506-440-2890.